In This Moment
by perfectromanceinmymind
Summary: Two-shot future fic about Sam & Mercedes' wedding. Companion to my other Samcedes future fics. Don't have to read them, but it might help, especially "Forever Unstoppable." Canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note – the title and the italicized lyrics come from the Big & Rich song "Lost in this Moment." I heard it a couple weeks ago and immediately thought it would be fabulous for a Samcedes wedding. Hope you enjoy – please let me know!**

_~smell the jasmine floating in the air like a love song~_

"You nervous, bro?"

Until Puck voiced his question, Sam truly hadn't realized that he was sort of pacing around the cutely named "groom's room" that had been assigned to him for immediate pre-wedding preparation at the event site. The wedding was being held in a historic chapel in a gated community outside of Nashville and they were in a room on the back side of the building. Across a field was the clubhouse where the reception would be held. It also had a pool with some private cabanas, one of which was where Mercedes and her attendants were getting ready. He and Puck were under strict instructions from Quinn to stay put until she came to get them and direct them to their places in the chapel for the ceremony.

Sam shook his head and dropped into the nearest chair.

"Nah," he finally said and then admitted, "Not much anyway. I just – it was weird to wake up without her this morning."

Puck rolled his eyes but refrained from commentary as Sam continued, "It'd just be nice to see her for a second."

"But she's being all superstitious and shit, right?"

Sam nodded and Puck hauled himself off the couch he'd been sprawled on.

"No worries – on it. I'm all about a recon mission."

And before Sam could protest, Puck was out the door.

"Aw, crap," Sam muttered, before shrugging and wandering over to the window to peek through the blinds.

Outside, guests were milling about, making their way down the path to the chapel entrance. He spotted his father greeting a couple of guests and then a flash of blond hair and narrowed eyes looking right at him.

Oops.

Busted.

It wasn't long before Quinn was marching into the room. "No peeking, I told you!" Before she could go any further with her tirade, she realized he was alone. "Wait, where's Puck?"

Sam cringed inwardly just the slightest bit. "I – uh, mentioned wanting to see Mercedes and he disappeared. So – I don't really know?"

Quinn closed her eyes, looking as though she was calling on some inner strength. "That man…" she muttered.

"Are you sorry you moved to Nashville?" Sam asked, partly to deflect and partly out of genuine curiosity. "I mean, since it didn't end up working out with Puck…" His voice trailed off as Quinn raised an eyebrow, her expression clearly indicating she knew he was distracting her from the absence of the man in question.

But she shrugged and answered the question anyway. "No, I'm glad I moved here. It's a refreshing change of pace from the Northeast and it's not like I don't have friends here – you and Mercedes and Puck too, actually." She looked thoughtful. "He and I were always better as friends. I don't know why we thought it would be different this time."

"Well, you never know," Sam said, sitting back down in his chair. "Maybe it'll work out again someday."

Quinn shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But it's okay. I said back when we graduated high school that my romantic past needed to stay in the past. If I can remember that from now on, I'll be alright. Besides," she added with a teasing grin, "it's weird enough that we're all still such good friends. We can't _all_ marry our high school sweethearts – that would be _really_ weird."

Sam chuckled. "You may have a point."

Before either of them could say anything else, the door opened again and Puck returned to the room.

"Oh, thank God I don't have to track him down," Quinn muttered under her breath, cracking Sam up.

"Good news, Evans, I'm happy to report that your bride is looking _hot_," Puck announced, throwing himself back down on the couch he'd been on earlier.

"Figured that, but thanks for going to double-check," Sam replied sarcastically.

"Not a problem, man, not a problem. Tried to convince her to throw you over and run off with me, but she wouldn't take me up on the offer," he replied cheerfully, making Sam laugh, and then he looked at Quinn. "She's basically ready – we getting this show on the road soon?"

Quinn held up a finger, obviously listening to someone talking in the earpiece she wore. "Thanks, Natalie," she said in reply. "I'll bring the guys around in three minutes." She looked at Sam. "Alright, my friend. This is it!"

At the appointed time, Quinn directed them through a side door into the chapel, where they took their places at the front of the church. They hadn't wanted to overwhelm the small space with a bazillion people at the altar, so the bridal party was relatively small, three on each side. Mike Chang and Sam's brother Stevie were serving as ushers and Sam flashed a grin at his brother and friend as they escorted his mother and Mrs. Jones to their seats, Mr. Evans following behind them and Mr. Jones, of course, waiting with Mercedes behind the closed doors at the back of the chapel. He spotted Brittany and Santana seated on his side of the church and just across the aisle, Finn, Rachel and Blaine. He almost laughed – Finn was already handing his wife a tissue for the tears that were sure to start any moment.

~_See your momma, and the candles and tears and roses/I see your daddy walk his daughter down the aisle_~

Behind those closed doors at the back of the chapel was a flurry of activity. Bouquets being handed out, dresses smoothed, Mercedes' train being arranged just right behind her and a quick straightening of the tie being worn by her 'man of honor,' Kurt. Quinn appeared in the room and smiled as she stepped over to her friend and fussed with the veil on her head.

"Sam doing okay?" Mercedes asked and Quinn just laughed.

"He's fine, but you know that from Puck's not-so-secret visit."

Mercedes giggled. "Well, yeah, but I trust it more coming from you."

"Thanks," Quinn replied and then added, in a slightly lower voice, "And thank you for trusting me to pull this together. It's my first job on my own – it really means a lot to me."

Mercedes waved a dismissive hand. "Who else would I trust? I knew you could make it the perfect day and it absolutely is. I only wish you could have still been a bridesmaid, but I know it would've been too much."

Quinn nodded. "I know – but still. Thank you. You're a good friend and I'm so happy for you. For both of you."

"Girl – don't make me cry already," Mercedes warned as she pulled the other woman in for a hug.

"No, don't cry yet!" Quinn said before turning to the rest of the group – Mr. Jones, Kurt and the two bridesmaids, Tina and Sam's sister Stacey. "Okay, everyone ready?"

They got lined up, the music started and it was in motion.

_~Now my knees start to tremble as I tell the preacher/Don't she look beautiful tonight ~_

Sam had been looking down when the first chords of the processional kicked in and he snapped his head up to watch the attendants make their way to the front. His sister – '_good grief, when had she gone and grown up?_' he wondered. Stacey was followed by Tina and he couldn't help glancing behind him at Mike, smiling at the obvious look of love and pride on his face as he watched his beautiful wife. And then Kurt, looking dapper as usual, his eyes immediately finding Blaine's in the congregation, the love they shared just as obvious on their faces. Sam had the fleeting thought that if he and Mercedes could be half as happy as their friends seemed to be, they'd be pretty well set. And then the doors, which had closed after Kurt started down the aisle, re-opened and the bride walked in and there wasn't room for any thoughts in his head beyond, '_my God. She's gorgeous_.'

Mercedes literally took his breath away. She seemed to practically float down the aisle on her father's arm, smiling at him the whole way, and he knew he had to have the dumbest, dopiest grin on his face but he didn't care. The other people in the room had all seemed to disappear the minute she walked in.

It was both forever and no time at all before she was there beside him, taking his arm, her father kissing her cheek and then shaking his hand before he went to sit in the front pew next to Mrs. Jones.

"You look gorgeous," Sam whispered to her as they took the last few steps to the altar. Mercedes smiled back at him and that was all there was time for before the minister began speaking.

"Dearly beloved…"

The rest of the ceremony passed in a hazy blur. He knew he said his parts when he was supposed to and he would never forget the way Mercedes gripped his hands as they said their vows and the wide grin on her face as she said, 'to be my husband,' and he knew his hands shook a little as he was sliding her ring on her finger and hers might have been shaking a bit too as she put his ring on but before he knew it, the final prayer was being said and they were pronounced husband and wife. And then he was kissing his bride and the congregation was applauding and a wolf whistle came from behind him, so it could have only been Puck, but as far as he was concerned, there was no one in that moment but him and his wife (_wife!_).

_~Lost in this moment with you/I am completely consumed/My feelings so absolute, there's no doubt/Sealing our love with a kiss/Waitin' my whole life for this/Watching all my dreams come true/Lost in this moment with you~  
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They broke apart from that first kiss as a married couple and Sam felt like he could just explode, he was so happy. Looking at Mercedes, he could tell she felt the exact same way. The minister motioned for them to turn to face the congregation and then announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you – Mr. and Mrs. Sam Evans!"

**Part Two – the reception – coming soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't even know, you guys. It's sappy and gooey and cheesy and fairly unrealistic and I hope it makes sense. I hope ya'll like it. Please let me know what you think!**

The wild celebration in the vestibule following the ceremony was as chaotic as any time New Directions had won a competition and, in Mercedes' mind, just as sweet. She and Sam had a brief moment alone where they looked at each with identical 'holy crap, we just got _married_' expressions on their faces and then the rest of the wedding party was coming through the door, swooping upon them, followed by their parents and the rest of their friends and everyone else. When she tried to remember those moments later, all she could recall was a lot of cheering and whooping and smiles and tears and then Quinn flipping into 'professional' mode and moving the guests along and out the door to follow the path over to the clubhouse.

Quinn and her assistants were efficient and in no time only the wedding party and parents remained so that pictures could be taken – bride and groom, full wedding party, both families. It was an exhausting process, but they'd hired an excellent photographer, and for Mercedes, one of the sweetest moments of the day came when the Evans family was being arranged for their shots.

Stacey glanced up at Mercedes as the photographer was working to get Sam, Stevie and Dwight in just the right spots.

"It's nice to have another girl around," she said quietly. "I always wished I had a sister, instead of two annoying brothers."

Mercedes smiled at the younger girl. Stacey reminded her of herself, just a little, at that age. "I kinda always wanted a sister too," she replied. "So marrying your brother is kind of a double-bonus – I'm getting an amazing husband _and_ an amazing sister."

Stacey smiled and impulsively leaned over to give her new sister-in-law a hug. Before she could say anything else, the photographer called for their attention and picture snapping began again.

Finally, they were released to walk over to the clubhouse and have their official introductions and Sam and Mercedes' first dance (to 'From Here to the Moon and Back,' by Dolly Parton and Kris Kristofferson, from the movie Joyful Noise, which had come out the winter of their senior year. They'd seen it together on one of their first dates after finally getting back together and Mercedes had been struck by the simple beauty of the song. It hadn't taken much to convince her Tennessee-boy fiancé to agree to use it at their wedding.)

Then, finally, finally they were allowed to sit down. The tables were only supposed to seat ten people, twelve if they sat close, but somehow all fourteen New Directions alumni who were present were crammed around one table, laughing, teasing and generally acting like they were all sixteen again.

"Well, Mercedes," Rachel began to speak and was promptly and predictably greeted with totally un-serious groans and eye rolls. She resolutely ignored them and continued, "As the former co-captain of this team, I think I speak for all of us when I say that you look absolutely lovely tonight."

Santana nodded. "Okay, yes. That I can agree with. You do look hot, Mrs. Trouty."

Sam rolled his eyes at the dredging up of the old nickname while Mercedes just laughed. "Thank you both," she said happily. "Although, personally, I think we should acknowledge the handsomeness of my groom as well."

Mike shook his head. "Nah, nobody cares what the groom looks like. It's all about you girls. I remember thinking I was invisible on our wedding day," he joked.

Tina swatted her husband's arm. "Yeah, until we got out on the dance floor and you stole the show completely." Her expression and tone made it clear she was only teasing.

Mike grinned and leaned over to kiss her as Sam said, "Seriously, guys – thank you all so much for being here. It really means a lot to us."

"Of course we're here," Rachel declared. "I know it's silly and cliché – but this group, this club? We really are the family we always said we were. We might not see each other much and maybe we're a little dysfunctional, but every family is dysfunctional in their own way. We might make each other crazy sometimes, but that's what family's about, right?"

There were nods and 'yeses' from around the table and Quinn held up her glass. "To our crazy, messed-up – _amazing_ family. And to Sam and Mercedes!"

The others echoed the toast and clinked glasses before falling into several conversations around the table.

Rachel looked across Mercedes at Sam and said, "You know, it actually just occurred to me – you really ought to be thanking me specifically."

Finn looked confused and Kurt asked, with a patented 'what now Rachel' look on his face, "Why, pray tell, should he thank you especially?"

"Because," Rachel replied, as though it were obvious, "If it weren't for me coming up with our prom on a budget idea, Sam and Mercedes wouldn't have gone to the prom together and they might never have started dating and then we wouldn't even be here today. Actually," Rachel continued, looking suddenly horrified, "if they hadn't started secretly dating, Sam might not have had the motivation to come back to McKinley and we would have never made it past Sectionals."

Sam, Mercedes, Kurt and Finn sat silently for a moment, before seeming to collectively shrug off Rachel's comments.

Mercedes shook her head. "I don't know if the rest of it is all that dire, but I have to admit that you're right." She looked over at Sam and smiled. "Without going to the prom together, I might not have ever realized how amazing you are and well, if I have Rachel to thank for it, then so be it," she concluded, the smile she shot at Rachel clearly conveying that she was truly grateful for that long-ago prom plan.

Rachel beamed back at her and then her attention was caught by the couple approaching the table. "Mr. Schue! And Ms. Pillsbury – I mean, Mrs. Schue!"

Emma waved off her words. "Either's fine," she said with a smile. "We just wanted to come over and say hello while you were all together."

There were hellos and waves from the others at the table as Mercedes and Sam both stood up to hug their former teachers.

"This place is beautiful," Emma said to Mercedes. "The little church, this room – and I love the pool outside! Of course," she added with a laugh, "I may be one of the only people in the world who has fond romantic memories of a swimming pool!" She smiled at Sam. "I know that was your idea – was it just as romantic when he proposed to you, Mercedes?"

Mercedes laughed, remembering the carefully causal way Sam had proposed the previous Christmas. "It wasn't quite as elaborate, but it was perfect," she replied, smiling at Sam.

"You just wait," Sam said mysteriously. "I might still have a big, grand gesture up my sleeve."

"What?" Mercedes said, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Sam shook his head. "Nothing."

"Uhm-hmm," Mercedes muttered, cut off from saying anything more by Mr. Schue's cheerful laugh.

"You guys," Mr. Schuester said happily as he looked at the group, "I can't tell you how good it is to see so many of you here together. We're only missing – Rory? And Sugar?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, plane tickets from Ireland cost a fortune. We talked to them on Skype the other day."

"Thank _you_ both for coming," Mercedes said. "It means a lot – I know it's a long drive."

"We wouldn't have missed it," Emma assured her. "We've both had a lot of students come through McKinley both before and after you guys but – there was just something special about all of you."

Will nodded in agreement. "Exactly. And then of course, there's the fact that my parents never turn down a chance to spend a weekend with their grandchildren!"

They chatted for a few more minutes and Mercedes managed to snag the photographer to snap some pictures of the group and promised to send copies to everyone.

The laughter and conversations at the table continued until the DJ came on the microphone to introduce himself and get the dancing started.

"We're gonna have a great time here tonight, ladies and gentlemen!" he said enthusiastically as he cued up the first dance song. "When we were planning for tonight, the new Mr. and Mrs. Evans made it clear that they want this to be a rockin' party where everyone has fun. So get out on the dance floor and get down and come see me if you have any requests!"

Mike didn't waste any time pulling Tina to the dance floor, followed by several others, and Sam looked at Mercedes. "Dance or circulate?"

"I guess we better make the rounds and say hi to people for at least a few minutes first," Mercedes said, a little reluctantly.

Sam nodded and stood up, holding his hand out to her. As she took it and stood up also, she spotted Santana out of the corner of her eye. She was making a beeline to the DJ, purse in hand, and something about that made Mercedes nervous.

"Go ahead without me for a second – I need to go talk to Santana."

Sam looked confused, but shrugged and headed towards the table where his parents were sitting with several of their friends.

"Santana," Mercedes said, catching her arm. "What are you doing?"

Santana shrugged off her hand. "Going to request a song, what did you think?"

"And you're taking your purse?"

Santana shrugged. "Didn't realize I was carrying it."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes. "Really? So you weren't going to slip the DJ a copy of a certain song you wrote, a long time ago, about my husband?"

Santana couldn't help grinning. "Aw, look at you all possessive and shit. My husband."

Mercedes fought back a grin of her own. "Don't change the subject."

Santana stared her down for a second before cracking. With a grin, she opened her purse to show Mercedes that it contained nothing but a lip gloss and her cell phone.

"Come on, Mercedes. I may still be a bitch, but I'm not cruel. I just knew that you'd think that I was gonna slip the DJ a copy of 'Trouty Mouth' and well, you know. It keeps life interesting when people get worked up."

Mercedes shook her head, laughing in spite of herself. "You're crazy, Santana Lopez."

"I know. And you all love me for it."

"Sometimes."

"Whatever," Santana shot back. "And now I'm going to go request what I was gonna request in the first place and you better get your ass out on the dance floor when he plays it, you got it?"

"Got it."

They parted ways then, meeting back up on the dance floor a little while later, along with Brittany, when the opening notes to 'Candyman,' their first TroubleTones performance, came blasting through the room. A cheer went up from the other glee kids and from that point, with the exception of some breaks for the obligatory 'Electric Slide' and 'Cupid Shuffle,' the reception playlist turned into 'New Directions' Greatest Hits.' From 'Don't Stop Believing" to 'We Found Love' and even 'Friday,' just about every song they'd ever performed was met with cheers, laughter and joyful dancing.

_All the wonderful words in my head I've been thinking/you know I want to say 'em all just right _

It was the perfect evening, the perfect celebration and it flew by far too quickly. The cake was cut, the bouquet and garter were tossed (caught by Stacey and Artie, respectively) and Kurt had even had just enough to drink that he busted out the 'Single Ladies' moves for just a moment when the song played for the bouquet toss.

Mercedes was truly startled when the DJ's voice came through the microphone.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, I'm sad to say that it's time for the last dance. But I am happy to tell you that we've got a special request and dedication for this last song. Where's our groom at?"

Mercedes looked questioningly at Sam as he grinned at her and moved towards the DJ's table. "Is this your surprise?" she whispered. "I thought –"

He just kept grinning and took the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone. Mercedes and I just want to say thank you one more time – we're so glad you were all here to celebrate with us tonight. It is time for the last dance, but this is where a little surprise comes into play." He tilted his head in Mercedes' direction. "Mercedes thinks that our last dance was going to be to Tony Bennett's 'The Best is Yet to Come' – and while it's a great song, I think she's going to like what I've chosen even better."

Mercedes could not for the life of her fathom where he was going with this. Glancing around at their friends, she saw that most of them looked as confused as she felt. Rachel, of course, looked like she might cry again, but that was normal. Puck looked a little teary too, but that, however weirdly, was normal too. Artie and Lauren seemed to be having trouble keeping the grins off their faces – what in the world was going on?

Mercedes gave up trying to figure it out and looked back at Sam, who was still talking.

"So, a few months ago I was talking to our friend Artie, bouncing song ideas for the wedding off of him," Sam said, gesturing towards where Artie sat. "And I told him that what I'd really love to be able to play at our wedding - would love to have in general – is a recording of the first duet Mercedes and I ever sang together. And Artie said, I totally know where you can get one. He told me to get in touch with our friend Lauren –" he gestured toward her "- who ran the A/V club in high school. And believe it or not, she found it in her archives."

Sam wisely did not share that the archives Lauren had were a result of the bugs she had placed all. over. the school. and then listened to and kept what she thought might be useful one day.

"So," Sam said, looking straight at his wife and trying not smile too big at the dawning understanding on her face, "for the last dance at our wedding, here is the first duet we ever sang together. It was amazing – but I do believe that the best _is_ yet to come – and I'm so grateful, honored and happy to be able to call you my duet partner for life. I love you, 'Cedes."

_Watch my words draw sweet tears from your eyes _

Mercedes wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye and mouthed back "I love you too."

Handing the microphone back to the DJ, Sam walked back across the dance floor to where Mercedes stood. As he did, the DJ cued up the song and the tears welling up in her eyes spilled over as she heard the opening notes of 'Human Nature' on the acoustic guitar and then her own voice.

"Oh my God, Sam," she whispered as he pulled her close to him and they began moving slowly around the dance floor, their friends and families watching and smiling. "I can't believe – how did Lauren even have this?"

Sam grinned. "I think it's probably better if we don't know the details."

Mercedes giggled. "Yeah, you're probably right. I just – wow."

Sam nodded. "I know. Pretty amazing, huh?"

Mercedes tipped her head back and smiled at him. "You're pretty amazing."

"You are."

"Okay, we're pretty amazing." Mercedes smiled dreamily and then laughed. "Can I say it now? Can I?"

Sam look puzzled for a minute and then grinned. "Go for it."

"Best. Wedding. _Ever_."


End file.
